Sip and Bite Encounters with Lynne O’Meara: Shepard’s Old Field Market

I recently discovered the most amazing place right in the heart of Leonardtown. The old Leonardtown Building Supply building has been transformed into an interesting, eclectic, whimsical, funky, fun space! Inside the large building are three distinct places…the Market (which includes a Saturday Farmer’s Market), Botanic Deli – Café, and Brudergarten (Bru)…the beer garden! Yes!! A beer garden in Leonardtown! Let’s go!

Gerrie and Mike (Lash) L’Heureux have done an amazing job of bringing their vision to life! What started as a large open warehouse space has turned into something so special! You really need to see this place to understand how neat it is! Every time I go there, I see Gerrie working on something!! She is amazing!

Gerrie’s idea was to turn the warehouse into a unique community market/meeting place. Open since last summer, there are now over 50 local vendors in the Market. As they came, Gerrie created spaces for them (which you really must see). There are antiques and collectibles, candles, jewelry, paintings and art, pottery, quilts, furniture, signs…and so much more! Wander through the various rooms and discover the artistry from talented people in Southern Maryland.

A nice addition on Saturdays, from 12 pm-5 pm, is the Farmer’s Market. You will find local meat, cheese, produce, and baked goods. WAG Meats, a local family farm provides high-quality meats. Another local, R & H Farms, has pork and beef. They also have homemade jams, cookies, bread, and spice blends & mixes. Xella Winery and Vineyard, from Mechanicsville, has free wine tastings and bottles available for purchase. Sweetie Pies has cookies, bread, pies, cakes, and fried pies. There is also local fresh produce available. Saturdays are a great time to visit the Market!

There are a couple of things at the Market that I noticed right away…the floor looks like a brick floor…but it’s not. Gerrie hand-painted the floor and it is very impressive! Also, check out the restroom! It has a rustic feel (not as in an outhouse sort of way…lol) with galvanized, corrugated sheet metal stalls and metal pails for the sinks!

Some other things to check out in the Market are the Artful PLAYhouse (art classes for children), root SUP & Fitness yoga studio, Hills Bayside Plant Boutique, and the children’s fenced-in play area out back. Also, the large space in the back of the Market can be rented for special events! It is a fantastic space!

The Market hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 am-7 pm, and Sunday from 11 pm-5 pm. The Saturday Farmer’s Market is open from 12 pm-5 pm.

The second unique area is Botanic Deli – Café! Lia is serving up delicious breakfast, lunch, and hot/cold drinks. Open since February, Lia (who owned a Peruvian restaurant in Seattle), makes popular favorites such as Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado, Farmer’s Quiche, Avocado Toast, Roasted Turkey Sandwich, and Melted Tuna Sandwich. She also has baked goods that are so good! The day I went, we had a Buffalo Style Roasted Chicken Sandwich, a Chicken Salad Sandwich, and a Pumpkin Muffin.

The Buffalo sandwich was piled high with meat and had a creamy, flavorful aioli sauce. The Chicken sandwich was simple and perfect! It was on toasted ciabatta bread…one of my favorites. The Pumpkin Muffin was amazing! It was the perfect balance of the pumpkin and the spices. It was so good! I was planning to have it for dessert but ended up eating it before my sandwich. Lia has a large selection of hot and cold drinks to include coffee, mocha, cappuccino, latte, and hot chocolate. Check out the menus for food and drinks in my posted photos.

Lia also has some Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free options and she will be participating in SOMD Vegan Restaurant Week from November 2nd – 9th.

Botanic Deli – Café is open Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30 am-4 pm, and Sunday from 10 are-4 pm. There is also a Sunday Brunch in the Brudergarten from 11 am-1 pm.

And the third area is the Brudergarten (Bru) beer garden. Open since January, the Bru offers a comfortable, inviting area to enjoy some down-time with family and friends. They have local and craft beer, with 16 brews on-tap. They also serve wines and some craft cocktails. They have a limited bar menu but hope to expand that in the future. The Bru has a nice seating area inside, but I really love the outside space. There is a large roll-up overhead door that leads to a white-rock covered, fenced-in yard. There are picnic tables, comfortable chairs, and (when weather is cooler) a fire pit. There are inside games (Shuffleboard, Darts, Foosball, and Ping Pong) and outside Cornhole. I love this new addition to our community!

Brudergarten (Bru) is open Monday through Thursday from 4 pm-11 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am-11 pm, and Sunday from 11 am-7 pm.

I’ve gone several times and have become friends with Gerrie! I love to talk with her about what she has accomplished, and, what she is planning for the future! One thing to look forward to is a new food vendor called Chicken Society!

I’m not giving this a typical rating because it is all so different. In my opinion, all parts of this fabulous place are a must-see destination. But, if I was giving it a rating, it would probably be 5-stars!

The Shepherd’s Old Field Market is located at 22725 Duke Street, Leonardtown.

Check out the websites/Facebook pages for additional information and special events/pricing:

David M. Higgins II

David M. Higgins was born in Baltimore and grew up in Southern Maryland. He has had a passion for journalism since high school. After spending many years in the Hospitality Industry he began working in Digital Marketing, eventually leading him back to his passion. David started The Southern Maryland Chronicle in December 2017 and has grown it to become the #1 news source in Southern Maryland.

The Southern Maryland Chronicle(SoMDC) is an all-digital news source for SoMD. We cover all of Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties; along with the Southern portions of Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County. SoMDC covers every aspect of the SoMD Region, and will to continue to grow with the community. SoMDC appreciates all feedback from the community, along with tips, pictures, articles contributed, and support.